Facilitating the Academic Achievement of Students with Disabilities in China and the United States through Inclusive Instructional Strategies

Williams, Jane M.; Li, Lv

Journal of the International Association of Special Education, v6 n1 p34-42 Spr 2005

In both China and the United States, educators are committed to the provision of rigorous academic instruction in inclusive environments to students with disabilities. This paper presents the reflections of the authors from the 2004 U.S.-China Conference on Educating Students with Special Needs held in Beijing, China in June 2004. The authors provide a brief status regarding the movement to include students with disabilities in regular schools in integrated classroom settings. In China, this instructional arrangement is termed "Learning in Regular Classes" (LRC). The authors compare this movement with the legislative initiatives of the United States to provide access to the general education environment for students with disabilities. The authors also provide a brief review of the status of teacher training initiatives in both China and the United States to address adaptations and accommodations for students with disabilities. Finally, the authors propose a framework for assisting teachers with providing instructional adaptations to support the inclusion of students with disabilities and the academic achievement of these students within LRCs in China and general education environments in the United States.